Apparatus to reclaim coke breeze from a quenching station sump



O Unlted States Patent 1111 3,545,618

[72] Inventors Victor V. Greg [56] References Cited Lakewood, NewJersey; UNITED STATES PATENTS l N 53%;} 1,007,439 10/1911 Flaccus239/186X g M12419 1,574,170 2/1926 Rosenau.... 210/262X 2,076,262 4/1937Black 134/167 [451 T' In 2,791,552 5/1957 116mm 239/186X [731 3,284,99311/1966 Sebald etaL. 210/523 4x 3,053,700 9/1962 Kulp 15/3121x PrimaryExaminer-Reuben Friedman 541 APPARATUS T0 RECLAIM COKE BREEZE FROMGranger A QUENCHING STATION SUM]; Attorney-Sherman H. Barber and Olm E.W1lhams 8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl. 210/167, ABSTRACT: Coke breeze in a quenching station sumpis 15/2465 removed by rotating a suction pipe mounted to a carriage [51]lnt.Cl. B01d 21/04, adapted to traverse the length of the sump. Aflexible hose BOld 21/24 carries coke breeze and water from the suctionpipe to a de- [50] Field of Search 210/169, watering station where thebreeze is separated from the liquid.

The breeze passes into a truck or railway car and the liquid returns tothe sump.

SHEET 1 UF 2 FIG. 2

INVENTORS were v. 62564 3/ seams ,2. CAI/V J WM PATENTED DEC 8 I970 sum2 BF 2 INVENTORS V/CTOE V. GREG GEORGE E. CAIN BYS APPARATUS TO RECLAIMCOKE BREEZE FROM A QUENCHING STATION SUMP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONHot coke is pushed from a coke oven chamber into a quenching car thatcarries the hot coke to a quenching station. At the quenching stationthe car is spotted beneath stationary spray heads in a quenching towerand water, flowing from the spray heads, cools and quenches the coke.

The water used to quench the coke is obtained from a sump located alongside the quenching station into which the water not converted into steamdrains. The water draining from the coke quenching car carries much cokebreeze with it, and the sump is used to allow the coke breeze to settleout while the water is used again for quenching purposes.

I-Ieretofore, it has been customary to periodically remove the cokebreeze as often as twice a week from the sump, using mechanicallyoperated buckets and the like. Such work is time consuming and isexpensive. Yet, it is necessary to remove the coke breeze when itreaches a limiting depth in the sump.

How the equipment of the present invention accomplishes the removal ofthe coke breeze from the sump at a quenching station in an economicaland efficient manner is more completely and fully set forth in thedescription of one embodiment of the invention, which is exemplified inthe accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Apparatus in accordance with the inventionincludes a conduit mounted in operative position on a carriage havingwheels contacting rails mounted to a coke breeze sump. The conduitsweeps over an area of the bottom of the sump, while a suction pumpconnected to the conduit removes coke breeze and liquid from the sump.The breeze is separated from the liquid which is returned to the sump. Apowered winch and cable is used to reciprocate the carriage along thesump as the conduit rotates.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION or THE DRAWING One embodiment of the invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a coke breeze sump that includesapparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a modified portion of the apparatusof FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along line IV-IV of FIG. 3.

' DETAILED DESCRIPTION in FIG. 1, a conventional coke breeze sump 11 isa rectangular container having parallel spaced-apart long sidewalls 13,15, and parallel spaced-apart shorter end walls, l7, l9. Intermediatewalls 21, 23 located near the respective end walls 17, 19, subdivide thesump into three fluid zones 25, 27, 29. The

end, side, and intermediary walls are connected to a bottom' 31 to formthe unitary open sump structure 11.

At spaced-apart locations along the length of the fluid zone 27 thereare inwardly extending pairs of trusslike supports 33, 35 that support apair of longitudinally-extending, spacedapart rails 37, 39. The rails37, 39, terminate adjacent the intermediary walls 21, 23, about as shownin FIG. 1.

A traversing carriage 41, having wheels 43, is adapted to roll on therails 37, 39 and carries a swivel connection 45. The swivel connection45 is conventional and has a suction pipe or conduit 47, shaped about asshown in FIG. 2, that rotates completely about a vertical axis 49. Thelower end of the suction pipe or conduit 47 is disposed close to thebottom 31, as shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 1, the carriage 41carries also a power source 51 to rotate the suction hose 47 in thedirection of the arrows A.

A flexible conduit or hose 53 is connected at one end to the swivelconnection 45 and to a pump 55 at the other end. The

pump 55 is fixedly mounted to a suitable foundation 57 located alongsideof, and at about the midlength point of, the sidewall 15. The pump 55 ispowered in the usual manner by an electric motor 59.

The discharge end of the pump 55 is connected to a stationary conduit 61that carries material from the pump upward and into a conical receivingtank 63 supported by a suitable frame structure 65. The frame structurealso supports a conventional dewatering screen 67 that is mounted belowa discharge pipe 69 at the bottom of the receiving tank 63.

The dewatering screen 67 slopes downwardly and away from the sump 11, asshown, and discharges solid material onto a chute 71 that guides thesolid material into a receptacle, such as a railroad car 73 or a truck,if this type of receptacle is preferred.

at a convenient elevation above the top of the sump 11, there is mountedto the structural frame 65 an outwardly projecting beam 75, which ispreferably an I or H-beam. The beam 75 carries on its lower flange atrolley 77 from which is suspended, on a wire cable 78 or the like, aclamp 79 that engages and supports the flexible conduit 53.

The liquid separated from the solid materialat the dewatering screen 67flows downwardly into a collector 81 and thence in a conduit 83 theliquid is returned to the sump I1, and in particular, to the middle zone27.

The carriage 41 is reciprocated from one end to the other end of themiddle zone 27 in the manner suggested in FIG. 1. A powered capstan orvertical winch drum 85 is mounted to a platform 87 extending outwardlyfrom the end wall 17, about as shown, and a pair of spaced-apart sheaves89, 91, are located on the top of the intermediary wall 23. A pair ofother sheaves 93, are mounted close to the winch drum unit 85, whereshown in FIG. 1. One end 99 of a wire rope cable 97 is secured to thecarriage 41 at a location near one corner of one side, and the cablepasses around the sheaves 89, 91, around sheave 95 and into the winchdrum 85, driven in the direction shown in FIG. 1. The same wire ropecable 97 makes a few turns (as many as may be needed) on the winch drum85 and then passes over sheave 93. The other end 101 of the wire ropecable 97 is secured to the other corner of the carriage 41 on the sameside to which the end 99 is secured. Suitable known means may beprovided to take up slack in the wire rope cable 97 as is necessary ordesirable.

In operation, coke breeze and water flow into the sump 11 in the usualmanner. The coke breeze, being a solid, settles to the bottom of themiddle zone 27 and collects there unless removed. From time to time, thecarriage 41 is reciprocated from one end of the middle zone by operatingthe winch drum unit first in one direction and then by reversing itsdirection of rotation. Simultaneously, the suction pipe 47 rotates inthe direction of the arrows A and sweeps an area that is substantiallythe length and width of the bottom surface 31. Only small areas in thecorners of the sump are not swept by the suction hose, but the suctioneffect and the turbulent effect of the water in the sump washes cokebreeze from the comers into the area swept by the rotating andreciprocating suction pipe.

The pump 55, of course, provides the suction to the suction pipe, andthe coke breeze and water, passing through the pump and the fixedconduit 61, discharge into the conical receiving tank 63. The cokebreeze is separated from the water on the dewatering screen, and thewater returns to the sump while the coke breeze is guided by the chute71 into a railroad car or other receptacle.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a modification of the carriage and swivelsupport described previously herein. In FIGS. 3 and 4, the longsidewalls 13, 15 support rails 103, I05 and a carriage 107, having agenerally trapezoidal shape in plan view (FIG. 3), is mounted on wheels109 that roll on the rails 103, 105.

The carriage supports the swivel connection 45 and its power mechanism51. The swivel connection rotates the suction pipe 47 in the mannerdescribed previously, and water and coke breeze flow through the conduit53 into apparatus alongside the sump that is or may be like that shownin FIG. I.

The carriage also supports its own drive mechanism, which includes asource of rotary power 111 having a power takeoff such as a sprocket113. A similar sprocket 115 is secured to a drive shaft 117 extendingbetween and secured to the wheels 109. A chain 119 drivingly connectsthe power takeoff 113 and the sprocket 115.

The shaft 117 also supports a drum 121 that is fixed to rotate with theshaft 117. The drum 121 is similar to the winch drum 85 in that a wirerope 123 is wound several times (as many as necessary) around the drum121, but in this instance the ends of the wire rope 123 are anchored tothe intermediary end walls 21, 23, or to other suitable anchors (notshown) instead of being anchored to the carriage as describedheretofore. Thus, to move the carriage platform 107, it is necessaryonly to actuate the power source 111, wherefore, the rotation of theshaft 117 and drum 121 pulls on the anchored wire rope 123 and moves thecarriage along the rails 103. Of course, a change in the direction, ofrotation of the drum 121 will produce reciprocation of the carriagealong the length of the sump.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that other suitable arrangementsfor accomplishing the same result may be used. For example, a verticalsump pump might be mounted directly on the movable platform withflexible hose leading to a fixed discharge line that leads to theconical receiving tank. Or, a vertical sump pump might be mounted to anarticulated arm that is adapted to move along the sump wall in aprescribed pattern so that the pump suction will effectively removesubstantially all of the breeze from the sump.

Further, those skilled in the art will recognize that other means may beemployed to move the platform reciprocally along the sump. For example,an elongate rack may be mounted to the sump wall and a powered pinionengaging the rack and mounted to the platform may be effectively used.Then, too, a rotatable long screw could engage a nut mounted on theplatform so that when the elongate screw is rotated, the platform willmove as desired.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for removing coke breeze and quenching liquid from aquenching station sump comprising:

a. a conduit biased toward a vertical axis and adapted to rotate andsweep over an area of said sump whereon coke breeze collects;

b. means supporting said conduit in operating position relative to saidsump;

c. means to reciprocate said conduit along the length of said sump;

d. means to rotate said conduit on a vertical axis; and

e. means to apply suction to said conduit as it rotates and reciprocatesto remove coke breeze and quenching liquid from said sump.

2. The invention of claim 1 including:

a. means to separate the coke breeze from said liquid; and

b. means to return said liquid to said sump.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein:

a. means supporting said conduit includes:

I. a carriage to which said conduit is mounted; II. rails secured to andextending lengthwise of said sump;

and Ill. wheels mounted to said carriage and engaging said rails. 4. Theinvention of claim 1 wherein: a. said means to reciprocate said conduitincludes:

l. a wire rope secured to said means supporting conduit; and II. winchmeans to pull on said wire rope and move said conduit. 5. the inventionof claim 3 wherein: a. said means to reciprocate said conduit includes:

1. a wire rope secured to anchors attached to said sump and loopedaround;

I]. a drum mounted to a shaft to which said wheels are fixed; and

III. means for rotating said shaft whereby said drum rotates and saidwire rope pulls said carriage along said rails.

6. Apparatus for removing coke breeze from a quenching station sumpcontaining quenching liquid comprising:

a. rails mounted to and extending along the length of said sump;

b. a carriage having wheels engaging said rails for movement along thelength of said sump;

c. a swivel connection mounted to said carriage for movement about avertical axis and connected to d. a conduit biased toward a verticalaxis and adapted to rotate and sweep over an area of said sump whereoncoke breeze collects as said swivel connection rotates;

e. power means'to rotate said swivel and conduit;

f. pump means connected to said swivel connection to apply suction tosaid conduit to pick up liquid and coke breeze from said sump area;

g. conduit means connecting said pump to said swivel connection and toh. a means to separate the coke breeze from the liquid;

i. means to return the liquid to said sump;

j. means to convey the coke breeze to another location; and

k. a wire rope secured to said carriage and looped around a drum that isrotatable to move said carriage along said rails.

7. The invention of claim 6 including:

a. means to so rotate said drum whereby said carriage reciprocates alongthe length of said sump.

8. Apparatus for removing coke breeze and quenching liquid from aquenching station sump comprising:

a. suction means biased toward a vertical axis and adapted to rotateabout said axis and sweep over an area of said sump whereon coke breezecollect;

b. means supporting said suction means;

c. means for rotating said suction means; and

d. means for moving said supporting means whereby said suction means, asit rotates and moves, sweeps over said area.

